The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

CHAP. XXII. Of the admirable nature of Birds, and of soms Beasts.

THat there be divers things not only in the Sea, but also in the air and earth, which by the wonderful condition of their own nature may equal that of Monsters, the only Estrich may serve for a witness. It is the biggest of Birds, though indeed it partly resembles a bird, and partly a beast (and it is familiar to Africa and Aethiopia) as which contrary to the nature of beasts hath feathers,* 1.1 and against the custom of birds cannot flie aloft; for it hath not feathers fit to flie, but like unto hairs, yet will it out-run a horse. The natural force of the stomach in concoct∣ings is miraculous,* 1.2 as to which nothing is untameable: she laies eggs of a wondrous largeness, so that they may be framed into cups: their feathers are most beautiful, as you may perceive by this following figure.

[illustration]

The figure of an Estrich.

Any one may easily gather of what a prodigious magnitude an Estrich is, by the greatness of his bones. Three of these birds were kept at the Kings charge, by the Mareschalde Rets: one whereof dy∣ing, it was bestowed upon me, whereof I have with great diligence made a Sce∣leton.

[illustration]

The delineation of the Sceleton of an Estrich.

• A. Shews the head, which was somewhat thicker then the head of a Crane, of the length of ones hand, plain from the crown even to the beak; the beak being divided to the middle region of the eye, being roundish at the end thereof.
• B. The neck, a yard long, consisting of seventeen Vertebrae, each whereof on each side is furnished with a transverse process locking downwards, of some fingers length, excepting the two which are next the head, as which want these, and are joyned together by Ginglymos.
• C. The back is of a foots length, consisting of seven Vertebrae.
• D. The holy-bone of two foot long, in whose top there is a transverse process, under which there lies a great hole.
• E. Three more, but less.
• F. G. H. After which there follows the cavity or socket, whereinto the head of the thigh bone is re∣ceived and hid. This externally and on the side produceth a perforated bone, noted with the letter, I perforated I say at the beginning, for it is presently united at the letter, K. then it is forked and divi∣ded into two other bones, whereof one is bigger then the other. The less is noted with the letter, L. then they are both united at the letter M. each of them is half a foot and four inches long. But from that part whereas they first begun to be divided, to what whereas they are united, there is a hole some four fingers broad, but the length of ones hand, or more, and it is noted with the letter, N. The residue of the bone is like to a pruning knife three inches broad, but six in length: the end whereunder is the letter, O. it is joyned by coalition.
• P. The rump consisting of nine Vertebrae, like to a mans. The thigh bones are two, whereof that which is noted with the letter Q. is of the length of a foot, and of thickness equal to a horses thigh. The other next under (which peradventure you may call the leg-bone) noted with R. is a foot and half long: it hath joyned thereto the Fibula, or lesser focil of the length, but which grows smaller as it comes lower.
• S. Is the leg, to which foot adheres, being one foot and a half long, divided at the end into two claws, the one bigger, the other less, whereof each one consists of three bones.
• T. Eight ribs, which are inserted into the Sternon, the three middlemost of these have a bony production like to a hook.
• V. Is the Sternon, consisting of one bone of some foots length, representing a buckler; to this there is joyned another bone which stretched over the three first ribs, is in stead of clavicles or collar-bones.
• X. The fi st bone of the wing, which is one foot and half long.
• Y. Two bones under this, equivalant to the ell and wand, under which there are six other bones composing the point of the wing, noted with Z.

This whole Sceleton is seven foot long, and so many foot or more high from the feet to the beak; there are many other observable things in his composure, but I have thought fit to omitt them for brevitie sake.

* 1.3Jerom Cardane in his books De subtilitate, writes, that in the Iland of the Moluccas you may sometimes finde lying upon the ground, or take up in the waters, a dead bird called a Manu∣codiata. that is i•• Hebrew, the bird of God, it is never seen alive. It lives aloft in the air, it is like a Swallow in body and beak, yet distinguished with divers colored feathers: for those on the top of the head are of a golden colour, those of the neck like to a Mallard, but the tail and wings like Peacocks;* 1.4 it wants feet:

[illustration]

The effigies of a Manucodiata, or bird Paradise.

Wherefore if it become weary with flying, or desire sleep, in hangs up the body by twining the feathers about some bough of a tree. It passeth through the air, wherein it must remain as long as it lives, with great cele∣rity, and lives by the air and dew only. The cock hath a ca∣vity deprest in the back, wherein the hen laies and sits upon her eggs. I saw one at Paris which was presented to King Charls the ninth.

* 1.5We have read in Thevets Cosmography, that he saw a bird in America, which in that country speech is called Touca, in this very monstrous and deformed, for that the beak in length and thick∣ness, exceeds the bigness of the rest of the body; it feeds on pepper, as the black-birds and fel∣fars with us do upon Ivie-berries, which are not less hot then pepper.

A certain Gentleman of Provence brought a bird of this kinde from that country, ro present it to King Charls the ninth, but dying in the way he could not present it alive. Wherefore the King wished the Mareschal de Rets to give her to me, that I might take forth her bowels and embalm her, that she might be kept amongst the Kings rarities. I did what I could, yet not long after she rotted; she resembled a crow in body and feathers, but had a yellowish beak, clear, smooth, and toothed like a saw, and of such length and thickness as we formerly mentioned. I keep it yet as a certain monstrous thing.

* 1.6Thevet writes, that in the Island Zocotera there is frequently found a certain wilde beast called Hulphalis, of the bigness of an Ethiopian Monky. It is a very monstrous creature, but in nothing more then that it is thought to live upon the air only; the skin, as if it were died in grain, is of a scarlet colour, yet it is in some places spotted and variegated: it hath a round-head like to a boul, with feet round, broad, and wanting hurtful nails. The Moors kill it and use to eat the flesh of it, being first bruised, that so it may be the more tender.

* 1.7In the Realm of Camota, of Ahob, of Benga, and other mountains of Cangipa, Plimatiq and Catagan, which are in the inner India, beyond the river of Ganges, some five degrees beyond the Tropick of Cancer, is found a beast, which the Western Germans call Giraff. This beast in head, ears and cloven feet, is not much unlike our Doe; it hath a very slender neck, but is some six foot long, and there are few beasts that exceed him in the length of their legs: his tail is round, but reacheth no further them his hams, his skin is exceeding beautiful, yet sowewhat rough, having hair thereon somewhat longer then a Cow, it is spotted and variegated in some places with spots of a middle colour, between white and chesnut, so as Leopards are: for which cause by some Greek Historians it is called Cameleopardalis: it is so wilde before it be taken, that with the good-will it will not so much as be seen. Therefore it inhabits & lives only in desert and secret places, unknown to the rest of the beasts of that region; she presently flies away at the sight of a man, yet he is taken at length, for that he is not very speedy in running away; once taken he is as easily and spee∣dily tamed as any wilde beast whatsoever. He hath above his crown two strait horns covered with hairs, and of a foot length. When as he holds up his head and neck, he is as high as a-Lance. He feeds upon herbs and the leaves and boughs of trees; yea, he is also delighted with bread.

[illustration]

The effigies of a Giraffa.

Such as sail in the red sea along the coast of Arabia, meet with an Island called by the Arabi∣ans Cademota; in that part thereof where the river Plata runs, is found a wilde beast, called by the barbarous inhabitants Parassoupi, being of the bigness of a Mule, headed not unlike one, yet rough and haired like to a Beat, but not of so dark a colour, but inclining to yellow, with cloven feet like a Hart: she hath two long horns on her head, but not branched, somewhat resembling those to much magnified horns of Unicorns. For the natives of the place, bitten by the ve∣nomous tooth of either beast or fish, are presently helped and recovered by drinking the water wherein such horns have been infused for six or seven dayes space, as Thevet in his Cosmography reports.

In one of the Islands of the Moluccas there is found a beast living both on land and water like as a Crorodil••; it is called Campurch, it is of the bigness of an Hart, it hath one horn in the fore∣head, moveable after the fashion of the nose of a Turky-cock: it is some three foot and a half long, and never thicker then a mans arm; his neck is covered over with an ash colour; he hath two feet like to a gooses feet, wherewith he swims both in fresh and in salt waters. His fore-feet are like to a stags, he lives fish. Many have perswaded themselves that this beast is a kinde of Unicorn, and that therefore his horn should be good against poysons. The King of the Island loves to be called by the name of this beast; and so also other Kings take to themselves the names of the wilde beasts, fishes, or fruits, that are most precious and observable in their dominions as Thevet reports,

Mauritania and Aethiopia, and that part of Africk that is beyond the deserts and Syrtes,* 1.8 bring forth Elephants; but those of India are far larger. Now although in the largness of their body they exceed all four-footed beasts, yet may they be more speedily and easily tamed then other beasts. For they may be taught to do many things above the common nature of beasts. Their skin is somewhat like to a Buffles, with little hair upon it, but that which is, is ash-coloured, his head large, his neck short, his ears two handfuls broad, his nose or trunk very long, and hanging down almost to the ground, hollow like as a trumpet, the which he useth in stead of an hand, his mouth is not far from his breast, not much unlike a swines, from the upper part whereof two large teeth thrust forth themselves, his legs are thick and strong, not consisting of one bone as many formerly

have falsly beleived (for they kneel to admit their Rider, or to be laden, and then rise up again of themselves) his feet are round like a quoit some too or three hands bredth, and divided into five clefts.* 1.9 He hath a tail like a Buffle, but not very rough, some three hands bredth long; where∣fore they would be much troubled with flies and wasps, but that nature hath recompenced the shortness of their tails by another way; for when they finde themselves molested, they contract their skin so strongly, that they suffocate and kill these little creatures taken in the wrinkles there∣of; they over-take a man running by going only, for his legs are proportionable to the rest of his body.

[illustration]

The figure of an Elephant.

They feed upon the leaves and fruits of trees, neither is any tree so strong and well rooted, which they cannot throw down and break. They grow to be sixteen handfuls high, wherefore such as ride upon an Elephant are much troubled as if they went to sea. They are or so unbrideled a na∣ture, that they cannot endure any head-stall or reins; therefore you must suffer them to take the course and way they please. Yet do they obey their country-men without any great trouble; for they seem after some sort to understand their speech, wherefore they are easily governed by their known voices and words. They throw down a man that angers them, first taking him up with theit trunk and lifting him aloft, and then letting him fall, they tread him under foot,* 1.10 and leave him not before he be dead. Aristotle writes that Elephants generate not before they be twenty years old: they know not adultery, neither touch they any female but one, from which they also diligently abstain when they know she hath once conceived. It cannot be known how long they go with young; the reason is for that their copulation is not seen, for they never do it but in secret.* 1.11 The females bring forth resting upon their hind legs, and with pain like women; they lick their young, and these presently see and go, and suck with their mouths, and not with their trunks. You may see Elephants teeth of a monstrous and stupendious bigness, at Venice, Rome, Naples, and Paris; they term it Ivory, and it is used for Cabinets, Harps, Combs, and other such like ••••es.

We have read in Thevet, that in Florida there are great Bulls, called in that country tongue Beautrol, they have horns of a foot long, a bunch on their backs like a Camel,* 1.12 their hair long and yellow, the tail of a Lion; there is scarce any creature more fierce or wilde, for it can never be tamed, unless it be taken from the dam. The Salvages use their hides against the cold,* 1.13 and their horns as an Antidote against poyson.

The same author affirms that whilst he sayled in the red sea, he saw a monster in the hands of a certain Indian Merchant which in the bigness and shape of his limbs was not unlike a Tiger, yet had the face of a man, but a very flat nose: besides, his fore feet were like a mans hands, but the hinde like the feet of a Tigre; he had no tail, he was of a dun colour: to conclude, in head, ears, neck and face it resembled a man, but in the blackish and curled hair, a Moor: for the other parts they were like a Tiger; they called it Thanacth.

[illustration]

The figure of a beast called Thanacth.

This following monster is so strange that it will scarce be believed, but by those that have seen it: it is bred in America, and by the Salvages called Haiit, of the bigness of a Monky, with a great belly, almost touching the, ground and the head and face of a childe: being taken, it mourns and sighs like to a man that is troubled and perplext; it is of an ash-colour, hath the feet divided into three claws, four fingers long, and sharper then those of a Lion: it climbes trees, and lives there more frequently then upon the ground, the tail is no longer then the bredth of three fingers. It is strange and almost monstrous that these kinde of creatures have never been seen to feed upon or eat any thing: for the Salvages have kept them long in their houses to make trial thereof, where∣fore they think them to live by the air.

[illustration]

The figure of the beast called Haiit.

I have taken this following monster out of Leo's Affrican history; it is very deformed, being round after the manner of a Tortoise too yellow lines crossing each other at right angles, divide his back; at every end of which he hath one eye, and also one ear, so that such a creature may see on every side with his four eyes, as also heare by his so many ears: yet hath he but one mouth, and one belly to contain his meat, but his round body is encompassed with many feet, by whose help he can go any way he please without turning of his body, his tail is something long and very hairy at the end.* 1.14 The inhabitants affirm, that his blood is more effectuall in healing of wounds then any balsom.

[illustration]

It is strange that the Rhinoceros should be a born enemy to the Elephant; wherefore he whets his horn, which grows upon his nose, upon the rocks, and so prepares himself for fight, wherein he chiefly assails the belly, as that which he knows to be the softest: he is as long as an Elephant, but his legs are much shorter, he is of the colour of box, yet somewhat spotted. Pompy was the first,* 1.15 that shewed one at Rome.

[illustration]

The figure of the Rhinoceros.

[illustration]

The figure of the Chameleon.

* 1.16Affrica produceth the Cameleon, yet is it more frequent in India: he is in shape and greatness like a Lizard, but that his legs are strait and high∣er,* 1.17 his sides are joyned to the belly as in fish, and his back stands up after the same manner, his nose stands out not much unlike a swines, his tail is long, and endeth sharp, and he foulds it up in a round, like a serpent, his nails are crook∣ed, his pace slow like as the Tortoise, his body rough, be never shuts his eyes, neither doth he look about by the moving of the apple, but by the turning of the whole eye.* 1.18 The nature of his colour is very wonderful, for he changeth it now and then in his eye and tail, and whole body beside; and he alwayes assimilates that which he is next to, unless it be red or white. His skin is very thin, and his body clear; there∣fore the one of these two, either the colour of the neighbouring things in so great subtility of his clear skin, easily shines as in a glass; or else various humors diversly stirred up in him, accor∣ding to the variety of his affections, represent divers colours in his skin, as a turky-cock doth in those fleshy excrescences under his throat, and under his head: he is pale when he is dead. Ma∣thiolus writes that the right eye taken from a living Chameleon takes away the white spots which are about the thorny coat of the eye; his body being beaten, and mixed with Goats milk, and rubbed upon any part, fetcheth off hairs; his gall discusseth the Cataracts of the eye.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Estrich is between a bird and a beast.
• * 1.2

  The wondrous force of her stomach.
• * 1.3

  The descripti∣on of the bird of Paradise.
• * 1.4

  Whosoever desires to know more of the t••uth of this bird, let him read Clau∣sius in the Au∣ctarium ad lib. 5 cap rexotico∣rum.
• * 1.5

  Tom. 2. l. 21. cap. 22.
• * 1.6

  Tom. 1 cap 11. lib. 4.
• * 1.7

  Thevet tom 1. lib. 11. cap. 13.
• * 1.8

  The Indian Elephants are bigger then the Affrican.
• * 1.9

  How they keep flies form them.
• * 1.10

  .bLi 9 de hist anim. cap. 28.
• * 1.11

  It is not known how long an Ele∣ph••nt goes with young.
• * 1.12

  Tom. 2. lib. 23. cap. 2.
• * 1.13

  Their horns good against poyson. Tom. 1 lib. 2 cap. 10.
• * 1.14

  Blood as good as balsom.
• * 1.15

  Plin. 18. c. 29.
• * 1.16

  Plim. lib. 8. c. 33.
• * 1.17

  Arist lib. 2. hist. anim. cap. 12.
• * 1.18

  The strange nature of the colour of the Chameleon.